The Appointment Marathon

Yesterday and today have been two more days in the Doctor's appointment marathon that has been my life the last few weeks. 10 appointments in the last month with more to come in the next few weeks. Well child visits, physicals, vision checks, dermatologist, orthopedic specialist for one kid, surgeon for one kid, surgeon for mom.

Don't be alarmed. All very minor problems in the grand scheme of things, and I am still counting myself lucky. Lucky... but busy. Lucky... but tired. I suppose this is to be expected when our deductible has been met and we feel a sense of urgency to get these problems behind us before we have to start over! At least we get our money's worth out of the 'family' plan. (It would sure suck for us if they started making you pay by the child)

Last week I called to make an appointment with my surgeon for a follow up to an ultrasound. He was out of the office for two weeks, but I was assured that his partner could see me. So yesterday morning I arranged to have my mom watch Quinn, hurried to get everyone out the door to school, rushed over there... turns out he sees his partner's patients for everything EXCEPT the issue I was there for. I was steaming when I walked out of that office. He did say he wouldn't bill me. Well, that was oh so kind of him considering he didn't DO ANYTHING except tell me that he couldn't DO ANYTHING?!

So today's appointment was my biannual skin check. My white and freckled body is apparently worrisome to my Dermatologist and she actually has photos of every square inch of my skin (I know, ewww!) that they compare to the real life body so that they can see if anything has changed, grown or become generally weird looking. I think it's pretty funny when the doctor asks me if I have noticed my spots changing. Really? Isn't that why I drag my freckled butt into her office twice a year? Does she think I have time in my life to keep tabs on the thousands of spots I have. It's really funny when she asks me if the moles on my back have changed. HELLO! I can't SEE my back!

I got there at 8:55 for my 9:00 appointment, only to be told that the Dr. had not actually arrived at the office yet. They didn't end up calling me back until 9:20, which wouldn't normally have made me that irritated, but I was the first appointment of the day. Funny... if I had shown up at the office at 9:20, I have this feeling there would have been a little scene involving grumpy words and wrinkled brows on their part and apologetic pleas on my part, and ending with me leaving the office without being seen.

As the nurse walked me back to the room, I caught a glimpse of my Doctor weighing herself on the scale in the hallway. Not so strange for the average woman (who isn't running late and keeping patients waiting), but this gal is a Barbie Doll who can't possibly weigh more than 115 pounds (and that's fully clothed in winter garb and following a big pasta meal). I can only hope that she is recovering from a gastrointestinal illness, and checking to make sure she's gaining back a few pounds.

She made her inspection quickly and I found myself leaving the office minus 2 moles and plus a few stitches, which means another trip to the Dr. in 10 days to get the stitches out. After yesterday's appointment fiasco and all these appointments the last few weeks (along with the bad news delivered at a few of them), I am just feeling a little bit melancholy. I love this quote from a fellow blogger , "I acknowledge my luckiness, without giving up my claim to the suckiness." I am totally aware of my 'luckiness'... but today, I just feel like wallowing in the 'suckiness'.